Music-leaf turner.



S. SLATER.

-MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLIC 5- 1 04,080. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

4 EEEEEEEEEEEE 1- S. SLATER.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY7. 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 34 141 a/Wtoq,

Glues/wag S. SLATER.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION man JULY 7. I915.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

alien/nu S. SLATER.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 7. 1915.

1 204,080. Patented NOV; 7, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W I A UNETED STATES @FFECE.

STEPHEN SLATER, OF lvIIDDLETOEVN, NEvV YORK.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Application filed July 7, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, STEPHEN Smyrna, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Music-Leaf Turner, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in music leaf turning machines in which means are provided for securely holding music leaves or music books open upon the music rack of a piano or other instrument, and means whereby the leaves may be instantly turned from right to left, in succession or collectively at the proper time and with precision, and all the leaves which have been turned for playing may be instantly turned back from left to right and held ready for turning successively.

A further object of my invention is to provide means where by a slight touch of the finger of the performer, the leaves may be instantly turned in succession as. the music on them has been played, and by a slight pressure of the finger the leaves which have been turned may be collectively turned back and are then held ready to be turned.

A further object of my invention is to provide adjustable supports for accommodating sheet music or music books of vary ing sizes in combination with turning mechanism.

Further objects and features of my inven tion will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and will be particularly pointed out and ascertained in and by the appended claims.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a front ele vation showing my invention ready for attachment to a piano or other music instrument. Fig. 2 is a rea" elevation in detail. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the operating parts. Fig. is a vertical sectional view taken through leaf holder on line a.a of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through music rest adjuster on line Z)?) of 2. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken through shafts, pinions and racks on line cc of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a part of my device used for holding the device in upright position. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of pawls used in the operation ofmy d vice. is 2. perspective Specification of Letters Patent.

at s.

Patented .4, 1916.

Serial No. 38,437.

a top view showing engagement of a pawl and arm used on my invention.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawings.

The vertical frame 1 of my device may be made rectangular in outline, as shown in the drawings, of any suitable material and of sui'ficient thickness to be strong and yet permit portions to be cut away at the back to admit various parts of my device so they ill be below the plane of the surface. Attached to the bottom of frame 1 extending forwardly is horizontal ledge 1.

At the longitudinal center of frame 1 are three vertical concentric shafts 2, 3, and 4, 2 and l being shown in Fig. 2, and 2, 3, and a"; being shown in Fig. 6 in cross section, and 2 shown in F 3. Shaft 1 at its lower end is pivoted into frame 1 and the outer cylindrical shaft 4 passes through a hole in part a l which holds the shafts in upright posi tion. lVhile I have only shown three shafts, more or less may be installed with their accompanying mechanism.

On the lower end of shafts 2, 3, and l are securely fixed pinions 5, 6, and 7. Transverse of pinions 5, 6, and 7 are racks 8, 9, and 10, said racks being held in alinement by guide bars 11, 12, 13, and 14, and in mesh by transverse plates 15 and 16 se cured to frame 1. Integral with racks 3, 9, and 10 are extension pieces 17, 18, and 19 respectively. Each extension piece at its terminal end is provided with a shoulder 20, 21, and 22, and passes through elongated slots in leaf springs 23, 2%, and Said springs being spaced apart by blocks 8% and Set and held in fixed-position to frame 1 by screw 8%. The tension of leaf springs 23, 24-, and 25 is regulated by adjusting nuts 26, 27, and 28 on connecting rods 29, 30, and 31. Springs 23, 24:, and are the actuating means for moving racks S, 9, and 10 from right to left after the reverse movement has taken place, which is done manually. Integral with rack 10 and at the opposite end of extension piece 19 is extension piece 32 with a horizontal pin 32 attached near the end of the extension.

Attached to frame 1 is plate 33" and pivoted to plate 32 is lever 33. N ar the upper end of lever 33 is a longitudinal slot, pin resting in said slot. Near the lower end of lcyer is a horizontal slot 33. Extendrhro is horizontal lever 34, which is pivoted near its center to ledge l The rear end of lever 34 extends forwardly beyond the plane of the face of the forward edge of ledge 1 The free end of this lever is bent upwardly vertical to said lever. The object of the vertical upward bent portion of this lever is to provide a hand bolt, the use of which will be explained later. On the upper ends of shafts 2, 3, and 4 are firmly fastened leaf carrying arms 35, 36, and 37 respectively. The leaf carrying arms are the same in construction and may be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 9. Each leaf carrier is provided with an arm such as 35, and a circular hub 38 with a ratchet notch cut therein. At the other end of each arm are the leaf clips. The clip is made up of two wings, wing 40 of which being integral with arm 35, and stationary, and arm 41 being movable.

As a means of locking the clip, lever 42 is pivotally attached to wing 41, both ends of the lever extending longitudinally beyond the side of wing 41. The upper end of lever 42 is sufficiently bent rearwardly, so that when the wings are closed, by turning the lower end of lever 42 outwardly its upper'end moves inwardly pressing against and facing lug 43 which is integral with wing 40, and said lug being also bent forwardly. The wings 40 and 41 are thus tightly locked together.

Attached to the upper edge of frame 1 and coextensive with its length is part 44, one portion of which is raised and channeled. Resting within this channel are spring pawls 45, 46, and 47 Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the pawls and their relative position to each other. Pawl 47 lies fiatwise at the bottom of the channel mentioned and resting on 47 is 46 and 45 on 46. Said pawls are held in contact with hubs of arms 35, 36, and 37 by flex springs 48, 49, and 50 respectively.

Registering notches are provided in the spring pawls 45, 46, and 47 to permit each of the springs to reach the pawl it actuates, spring 48 engaging pawl 45 in notch (Z, spring 49 engaging pawl 46 in notch c, and spring 50 engaging pawl 47 in notch The spring pawls are held in position by loose fitting bolts 51 and 52 screwed into part 44, said bolts passing through the set of registered slotted holes g-g-g and h-hh respectively.

Beneath pawls 45, 46, and 47 and respectively engaging them are bell cranks 51, 52, and 53 each pivoted to frame 1, the upper end of each crank resting and engaging its respective pawl through slotted holes in the said pawls, crank 51engaging pawl 45 in slot a, crank 52 engaging pawl 46 in slot 6, and crank 53 engaging pawl 47 in slot 2'. The other end of the bell cranks 51, 52, and

53 pivotally engage connecting rods 54, 55, and 56. The lower of each connecting rod passes through one end of a centrally pivoted forwardly extending horizontal lever 57 through ledge 1, the type of which is shown in detail in Fig. 3. The lower end of each rod is provided with an adjusting nut 58 by-which distance between the said lever and bell crank may be regulated.

Three finger keys, 58, 60, and 61 are pivotally attached within ledge 1 each engaging a lever such as 57, shown in Fig. 3.

On the face of frame 1 a horizontal book rest 62 is provided, which is hinged near either end to lugs 67 and 68 passed through slots 63 and 64. Each end of rest 62 is slightly bent outwardly from its plane to permit taking hold of it when it is to be turned from the face of frame 1 clownwardly. When not in use rest 62 may be folded to the face of frame 1 and is held in place by tight fitting pins 65 and 66. Lugs 67 and 68 extend rearwardly through slots 63 and 64 and are integral with the racks. As both racks are identical only one is shown in vertical section Fig. 5, said rack 71 being integral with lug 67. Passing through frame 1 longitudinally is rod 69 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. At either end of rod 69 is a milled boss which provides means for turning rod 69 with the fingers. Firmly fixed on rod 69 is pinion 70 which meshes with rack 71. By turning rod 69 the pinion 7O turning moves rack 71 up or down according to the direction rod 69 is turned. Since rack 71 is connected with rest 62 at lug 67, when rack 71 moves upward or downward rest 62 moves with it. In order to prevent weight on rest 62 from moving it down by gravity, a slightly curved spring 72 with its concave face resting against rack 71 is attached to frame 1. The pressure on the rack may be either diminished or increased by loosening or tightening the screws which hold spring 72 in place.

Various means are provided for firmly holding leaves of music, not to be turned, on the face of frame 1. On Fig. 1 are cam clips 73 and 74 actuated by springs 7 3 and 74 On either side of frame 1 are leaf springs 75 and 76 pivoted at their upper end, the free end of which may be moved to rest at any radius from its axis.

Inserted in ledge l is another clip for holding leaves not to be turned. This clip is shown in vertical section in Fig. 4. The vertical portion 77 passes through an elongated slot allowing room for movement backward and forward, and is attached to r In order to insure stability, when the music leaf turner is used in connection with a piano or similar instrument, an adjustable clamp is provided to securely fasten my device to the music rack of an organ or like instrument. The adjustable vertical arm is fitted into a dove tailed groove on the back of frame 1. Clip 81 secured to frame 1 extends transversely across piece 80 and is in contact with it. hen arm 80 is in the desired position, by tightening the screw in transverse piece 81, arm 80 is firmly held in fixed position. Near the upper end of arm 80 a hole is provided with a slot extending from it to permit the introduction of the shoulder-head horizontal piece 81 which extends rearward. A portion of the other end of 81 is bent downward vertically. In the downward bent portion is a threaded hole through which threaded boss-headed bolt 82 is screwed. To the inner end of bolt 82 is swivelly attached block 83. The distance between vertical arm 80 and block83 may be adjusted by screwing in or out bolt 82.

To operate my device, we will say, in connection with an organ: My device is set on the music rack of the organ, and is firmly held in place by the attachment to music rack of the organ by arm 81. Next the music to be played is laid against the face of frame 1 and rests on ledge 1, if when so rested its upper edge may be engaged by music clips attached to the swingi11 arms 35 36 and 37. If the music does not reach this far upward rest 62 may be turned down, thus forming a support on wh1ch the muslc may rest. It may be adjusted to the proper height by moving the rest up or down by turning rod 69, which moves the racks up or down to which rest 62 is attached. Having the music in the proper position, if on the rest 62 clips 73, 7%, 75 and 76 are adjusted over the portions of the music not to be turned. If the music rests on ledge 1,the additional clip 77 is used. The use of the various means for holding the music leaves, not to be turned, insures that there will be no annoyance by those leaves not to be used being turned by suction when those leaves desired to be turned are folded over either to the right or left. In the drawings I have shown three units and shall describe the complete method of operating of only one up to the point where the method is identical. Having securely secured the music leaves to the face of frame 1 with the leaves raised to a point where they may engage the clips attached to the leaf carrying arms, the leaf carrying arms are all folded toward the right hand side of the frame 1. Arm 35 is then swung outward, the lower end of lever 42, attached wing 41 of the clip is pushed toward the axis of arm 35, then pulled outward raising wing -l0, and the music leaf inserted between the wings alO and 41. They are then closed, the lower end of lever a2 is pushed outwardly from the radius of the axis of arm 35, the face of the upper end of lever 2 engages lug and the music leaf is held firmly in place. Arm is then folded to the right to the face of frame 1 against the tension of leaf spring Arm 35 is there held in position by spring pawl 45 catching behind the notch in hub 38. The remaining sheets of music to be turned are similarly attached to the two remaining arms in the same manner, but before attaching the music leaf to leaf carrying arm 35, as the other two arms are folded behind arm 35 when swung to the right. To turn a sheet, finger lever 59 is first pressed downward at its outer end and through the connected 005peration of lever 59 and bell crank 51, spring pawl a5 is thrown out of engagement with hub 38 allowing spring 25 by transmission of its power through rack 10, pinion 7 and shaft 2 to turn arm 35 to the left. Finger levers 60 and 61 may be pressed in succession, or at the same time as finger lever 59 with the same result, or all the finger levers may be pressed at the same time and all the music leaves turned from right to left si multaneously.

All the leaf carrying arms being turned to the leftmay be collectively turned to the right by pushing the outward free end of lever to the left, actuating arm 35 through lever 33, rack 10, pinion '7 and snaft 2, and as arms 35 and 37 are in the path of the radial movement of arm 35 from left to right they are carried ahead of arm 35 and folded to the right hand face of frame 1 where they are held in position by pawls e15, l6 and t7, catching behind the notches of their respective hubs they engage.

It is believed that the advantages and utility of my invention will be clear from the foregoing description, and while I herein show and describe specific forms of my invention, I do not wish to be limited therei 1. In device of the character described, a supporting frame, a vertical shaft mount- 'iereon, shafts telescoping said vertical shaft, radially extending arms fixedly at tached to said vertical shaft and said telescoping shafts at their upper ends, pinions attached to the lower end of said vertical shaft and telescoping shafts, racks transverse of said pinious and meshing with said pinions, actuating springs mounted on said frame and engaging said racks, said springs being adapted to rotate said vertical shaft and telescoping shafts clockwise, means for manually rotating said vertical shaft and telescoping shafts counter clockwise, means for holding said vertical shaft and telescoping shafts from clockwise movement against the tension of said actuating springs, levers for alternately and collectively releasing the means for holding said vertical and telescoping shafts against rotary clockwise movement, substantially as described.

2. In a music leaf turner, a supporting frame, concentric shafts mounted on said frame, rotatable arms mounted on the upper ends of said shafts, pinions mounted on the lower ends of said shafts, racks mounted on said frame transversely of said pinions and meshingwith said pinions, actuating springs 15 engaging said racks, a vertical lever pivotally mounted on said frame near its center, the upper end of said vertical lever engaging one of said racks, and a horizontal lever pivoted to said frame near its center, one end of said horizontal lever engaging the lower end of said vertical lever, the horizontal movement of the free end of said horizontal lever, by connecting mechanism, designed to rotate said shafts in one direction against the tension of said actuating springs, substantially as described. I

Signed at the city of Middletown, in the State of N v York, this 1st day of July,

STEPHEN SLATER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

